Postneonatal Mortality Research Articles

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A Global Public Health Issue and Nursing’s Response

ABSTRACTSudden unexplained death in infancy, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), is a global public health challenge. Despite public health campaigns and efforts, SIDS remains the leading cause of postneonatal mortality in many developed countries. In this article, we review SIDS, describe nursing’s unique professional position in addressing this problem, and explore how the principles of social justice can inform nursing’s response. Motivated by nursing’s ethical and moral obligations, the profession is called to take an active role in educating others regarding this phenomenon, to participate in research, and to develop or advocate for policy that aims to reduce the incidence of SIDS on an international scale.

Child Health Outcomes After Presumptive Infection Treatment in Pregnant Women: A Randomized Trial.

We showed earlier that presumptive infection treatment in pregnancy reduced the prevalence of neonatal stunting in a rural low-income setting. In this article, we assess how these gains were sustained and reflected in childhood growth, development, and mortality. We enrolled 1320 pregnant Malawian women in a randomized trial and treated them for malaria and other infections with either 2 doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) (control), monthly SP, or monthly sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and 2 doses of azithromycin (AZI-SP). Child height or length and mortality were recorded at 1, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months and development at 60 months by using Griffith's Mental Development Scales. Throughout follow-up, the mean child length was 0.4 to 0.7 cm higher (P < .05 at 1-12 months), the prevalence of stunting was 6 to 11 percentage points lower (P < .05 at 12-36 months), and the 5-year cumulative incidence of stunting was 13 percentage points lower (hazard ratio: 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.60 to 0.83, P < .001) in the AZI-SP group than in the control group. The mean developmental score was 3.8 points higher in the AZI-SP group than in the control group (95% CI: 1.1 to 6.4, P = .005). Total mortality during pregnancy and childhood was 15.3%, 15.1%, and 13.1% (P = .60) in the control, monthly SP, and AZI-SP groups, respectively. Postneonatal mortality (secondary outcome) was 5.5%, 3.3%, and 1.9%, respectively (risk ratio of AZI-SP versus control: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.76, P = .008). Provision of AZI-SP rather than 2 doses of SP during pregnancy reduced the incidence of stunting in childhood. AZI-SP during pregnancy also had a positive effect on child development and may have reduced postneonatal mortality.

Learning From National and State Trends in Sudden Unexpected Infant Death.

* Abbreviation: SUID — : sudden unexpected infant death In their analysis of national and state trends in US sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) rates in this month’s issue of Pediatrics , Erck Lambert et al1 demonstrate that declines in SUID rates have plateaued for the past 2 decades. The state-by-state data in which large disparities in SUID rates are shown should both raise alarm in the 22 states where rates are increasing and bring light to prevention efforts in the 9 states with the largest declines. Widespread education about safe sleep environments (eg, the Back to Sleep campaign) was associated with large decreases in SUID rates between 1990 and 2002. However, the effectiveness of such campaigns may have peaked as they have encountered cultural barriers, Internet misinformation, and countercampaigns. In light of this, how should we, as health care and public health professionals, proceed? First, we should recognize that among developed countries, the United States has the highest SUID rate. In a recent international comparison, researchers found that among 8 developed countries, the United States had the highest mean 2002–2010 postneonatal mortality rates (of which SUID comprises the majority) at 2.25 per 1000 live births, ∼70% higher than the other countries; only New Zealand, at 2.14 per 1000 live births, came close.2 To understand these differences, we must begin to look at variations in national policies. Of these countries, the United States is the only one that does not provide universal health care,3 home visitors in the neonatal period,4 and universal paid maternity leave.5 All of these are important protective factors for infant mortality.6–8 Additionally, these policies may have positive downstream effects on parental practices. The … Address correspondence to Rachel Y. Moon, MD, Division of General Pediatrics, University of Virginia, PO Box 800386, Charlottesville, VA 22908. E-mail: rym4z{at}virginia.edu

Cardiac Genetic Predisposition in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

BackgroundSudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a leading cause of postneonatal mortality. Genetic heart diseases (GHDs) underlie some cases of SIDS. ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the spectrum and prevalence of GHD-associated mutations as a potential monogenic basis for SIDS. MethodsA cohort of 419 unrelated SIDS cases (257 male; average age 2.7 ± 1.9 months) underwent whole exome sequencing and a targeted analysis of 90 GHD-susceptibility genes. The yield of “potentially informative,” ultra-rare variants (minor allele frequency <0.00005) in GHD-associated genes was assessed. ResultsOverall, 53 of 419 (12.6%) SIDS cases had ≥1 “potentially informative,” GHD-associated variant. The yield was 14.9% (21 of 141) for mixed-European ancestry cases and 11.5% (32 of 278) for European ancestry SIDS cases. Infants older than 4 months were more likely to host a “potentially informative” GHD-associated variant. There was significant overrepresentation of ultra-rare nonsynonymous variants in European SIDS cases (18 of 278 [6.5%]) versus European control subjects (30 of 973 [3.1%]; p = 0.013) when combining all 4 major cardiac channelopathy genes (KCNQ1, KCNH2, SCN5A, and RYR2). According to the American College of Medical Genetics guidelines, only 18 of 419 (4.3%) SIDS cases hosted a “pathogenic” or “likely pathogenic” variant. ConclusionsLess than 15% of more than 400 SIDS cases had a “potentially informative” variant in a GHD-susceptibility gene, predominantly in the 4- to 12-month age group. Only 4.3% of cases possessed immediately clinically actionable variants. Consistent with previous studies, ultra-rare, nonsynonymous variants within the major cardiac channelopathy-associated genes were overrepresented in SIDS cases in infants of European ethnicity. These findings have major implications for the investigation of SIDS cases and families.

Effect of a mass radio campaign on family behaviours and child survival in Burkina Faso: a repeated cross-sectional, cluster-randomised trial.

SummaryBackgroundMedia campaigns can potentially reach a large audience at relatively low cost but, to our knowledge, no randomised controlled trials have assessed their effect on a health outcome in a low-income country. We aimed to assess the effect of a radio campaign addressing family behaviours on all-cause post-neonatal under-5 child mortality in rural Burkina Faso.MethodsIn this repeated cross-sectional, cluster randomised trial, clusters (distinct geographical areas in rural Burkina Faso with at least 40 000 inhabitants) were selected by Development Media International based on their high radio listenership (>60% of women listening to the radio in the past week) and minimum distances between radio stations to exclude population-level contamination. Clusters were randomly allocated to receive the intervention (a comprehensive radio campaign) or control group (no radio media campaign). Household surveys were performed at baseline (from December, 2011, to February, 2012), midline (in November, 2013, and after 20 months of campaigning), and endline (from November, 2014, to March, 2015, after 32 months of campaigning). Primary analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis, based on cluster-level summaries and adjusted for imbalances between groups at baseline. The primary outcome was all-cause post-neonatal under-5 child mortality. The trial was designed to detect a 20% reduction in the primary outcome with a power of 80%. Routine data from health facilities were also analysed for evidence of changes in use and these data had high statistical power. The indicators measured were new antenatal care attendances, facility deliveries, and under-5 consultations. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrial.gov, number NCT01517230.FindingsThe intervention ran from March, 2012, to January, 2015. 14 clusters were selected and randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=7) or the control group (n=7). The average number of villages included per cluster was 34 in the control group and 29 in the intervention group. 2269 (82%) of 2784 women in the intervention group reported recognising the campaign's radio spots at endline. Post-neonatal under-5 child mortality decreased from 93·3 to 58·5 per 1000 livebirths in the control group and from 125·1 to 85·1 per 1000 livebirths in the intervention group. There was no evidence of an intervention effect (risk ratio 1·00, 95% CI 0·82–1·22; p>0·999). In the first year of the intervention, under-5 consultations increased from 68 681 to 83 022 in the control group and from 79 852 to 111 758 in the intervention group. The intervention effect using interrupted time-series analysis was 35% (95% CI 20–51; p<0·0001). New antenatal care attendances decreased from 13 129 to 12 997 in the control group and increased from 19 658 to 20 202 in the intervention group in the first year (intervention effect 6%, 95% CI 2–10; p=0·004). Deliveries in health facilities decreased from 10 598 to 10 533 in the control group and increased from 12 155 to 12 902 in the intervention group in the first year (intervention effect 7%, 95% CI 2–11; p=0·004).InterpretationA comprehensive radio campaign had no detectable effect on child mortality. Substantial decreases in child mortality were observed in both groups over the intervention period, reducing our ability to detect an effect. This, nevertheless, represents the first randomised controlled trial to show that mass media alone can change health-seeking behaviours.FundingWellcome Trust and Planet Wheeler Foundation.

Injury and Mortality Among Children Identified as at High Risk of Maltreatment.

To determine if children identified by a predictive risk model as at "high risk" of maltreatment are also at elevated risk of injury and mortality in early childhood. We built a model that predicted a child's risk of a substantiated finding of maltreatment by child protective services for children born in New Zealand in 2010. We assigned risk scores to the 2011 birth cohort, and flagged children as "very high risk" if they were in the top 10% of the score distribution for maltreatment. We also set a less conservative threshold for defining "high risk" and examined children in the top 20%. We then compared the incidence of injury and mortality rates between very high-risk and high-risk children and the remainder of the birth cohort. Children flagged at both 10% and 20% risk thresholds had much higher postneonatal mortality rates than other children (4.8 times and 4.2 times greater, respectively), as well as a greater relative risk of hospitalization (2 times higher and 1.8 times higher, respectively). Models that predict risk of maltreatment as defined by child protective services substantiation also identify children who are at heightened risk of injury and mortality outcomes. If deployed at birth, these models could help medical providers identify children in families who would benefit from more intensive supports.

КОРРЕКЦИЯ МИКРОНУТРИЕНТНОГО СТАТУСА У НАСЕЛЕНИЯ ИРКУТСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ КАК РЕЗЕРВ СНИЖЕНИЯ МЛАДЕНЧЕСКОЙ СМЕРТНОСТИ

Aim: to establish a link between the level of folic acid, vitamin D and iodine consumption, and infant and perinatal&#x0D; mortality, morbidity of childhood tuberculosis in the Irkutsk region.&#x0D; Consumption of folate in the form of a single-agent preparation increased 3 times in 5 years. Consumption of folic acid&#x0D; in women at the stage of preconception and pregnancy affected the reduction of perinatal (R = –0.9; p = 0.016) and&#x0D; infant (R = –0.89; p = 0.04) mortality, including neonatal (R = –0.89; p = 0.039).&#x0D; Preventive supplementation of vitamin D of people in the region over the past 5 years has increased by 70 %, and infant&#x0D; mortality fell by 35.5 %. Infant (R = –0.94; p = 0.01) and especially post-neonatal (R = –0.97; p = 0.004) mortality are&#x0D; controllable and depend on the prevention of hypovitaminosis D. The understanding of the role of vitamin D in trigger-&#x0D; ing the synthesis of the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin opens prospects for using it as a medicine for prevention and&#x0D; treatment of childhood tuberculosis. The incidence of pediatric tuberculosis in the region during this period decreased&#x0D; by 46 % (R = –0.95; p = 0.01).&#x0D; Correction of iodine deficiency in pregnant women and children caused the reduction of perinatal (R = –0.99; p = 0.07),&#x0D; early neonatal (R = –0.99; p = 0.05), neonatal (R = –0.98; p = 0.06) and post-neonatal (R = –0.99; p = 0.002) infant&#x0D; mortality.

Predictors of post neonatal mortality in Western Kenya: a cohort study.

Introductionto determine the predictors of mortality in infants in Siaya, western Kenya, ahead of novel tuberculosis (TB) vaccine trials in the same population.Methodsin a study to determine tuberculosis incidence, 2900 infants aged 0-45 days, weighing ≥ 1700g were enrolled. Four monthly follow up visits were conducted for at least 12 months. HIV testing was done at six weeks of age. Free ancillary care was provided. Deaths were reported by parents, study staff and community workers. Cox proportional Hazard analysis was used to identify risk factors. The period of analysis commenced at six weeks old and was censored at 12 months of age.Resultsincluded in the analysis were 2528 infants with 2020 person years of follow up (pyo). There were 117 deaths (4.6 %). The post-neonatal mortality rate was 58 (95% CI: 48, 69) per 1000 pyo. In multivariate analysis, health facility births were protective against mortality (Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.54; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.84) and infant HIV infection at baseline was associated with increased mortality (HR 10.3; 95% CI: 6.40, 16.7). HIV uninfected infants born to HIV infected mothers had increased hazards of mortality (HR 1.73; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.90). Gender, weight at six weeks, maternal education and occupation were not significant predictors of mortality.Conclusioninfant mortality was high and was associated with being born outside a health facility, maternal HIV infection and HIV infection of the infant. Measures to decrease mother to child transmission and other HIV control measures need to be strengthened further to see incremental reductions in infant mortality.

Determinants of Infant Mortality in Southeast Nigeria: Results from the Healthy Beginning Initiative, 2013-2014.

Background:Neonatal mortality due to preventable factors occurs at high rates throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Community-based interventions increase opportunities for prenatal screening and access to antenatal care services (ANC) services. The Healthy Beginning Initiative (HBI) provided congregation-based prenatal screening and health counseling for 3,047 women in Enugu State. The purpose of this study was to identify determinants for infant mortality among this cohort.Methods:This was a prospective cohort study of post-delivery outcomes at 40 churches in Enugu State, Nigeria between 2013 and 2014. Risk factors for infant mortality were assessed using chi square, odds ratios, and multiple logistic regression.Results:There were 2,436 live births from the 2,379 women who delivered (55 sets of twins and one set of triplets), and 99 cases of neonatal/early postneonatal mortality. The neonatal mortality rate was 40.6 per 1,000 live births. Risk factors associated with neonatal mortality were lack of access to ANC services [OR= 8.81], maternal mortality [OR= 15.28], caesarian section [OR= 2.47], syphilis infection [OR= 6.46], HIV-positive status [OR= 3.87], and preterm birth [OR= 14.14].Conclusions and Global Health Implications:These results signify that culturally-acceptable community-based interventions targeted to increase access to ANC services, post-delivery services for preterm births, and HIV and syphilis screening for expectant mothers are needed to reduce infant mortality in resource-limited settings.

Cause-specific child mortality performance and contributions to all-cause child mortality, and number of child lives saved during the Millennium Development Goals era: a country-level analysis

ABSTRACTBackground: During the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) era, impressive reductions in the under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) have been observed, although the MDG 4 target was not met. So far, cause-specific progress in child mortality has been analyzed and discussed mainly at the global and regional levels.Objectives: We aimed to explore annual changes in cause-specific mortality at the country level, assess which causes contributed the most to child mortality reduction in 2000–2015, and estimate how many child lives were saved.Methods: We used the cause-specific child mortality estimates published by Liu and colleagues. We derived average annual changes in cause-specific child mortality rates and cause-specific contribution to overall child mortality in 2000–2015. We estimated the number of cause-specific child deaths averted during the MDG era, assuming that cause-specific child mortality remained the same as in 2000. We targeted the 75 Countdown countries where 95% of maternal and child deaths occurred during the MDG era.Results: Wide disparities existed across causes within countries, both in neonatal and post-neonatal mortality reduction, except for a few countries such as China, Rwanda, and Cambodia. In 20 of the 45 sub-Saharan African countries, malaria was the main contributor to post-neonatal mortality reduction, and pneumonia was the main contributor in only six countries. A single disease often contributed to a substantial proportion of the child mortality reduction, particularly in west and central African countries. Diarrhea-specific post-neonatal child mortality reduction accounted for 7.1 million averted child deaths (24.5%), while pneumonia accounted for another 6.7 million averted child deaths (23%).Conclusions: This study demonstrates country-specific characteristics with regards to cause-wise child mortality that could not be identified by global or regional analyses. These findings provide the global community with evidence for formulating national policies and strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in child mortality reduction.

Analysis of Infant Mortality in Three Hospitals in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Background: Infant mortality refers to deaths that affect children during their first year of life per 1,000 live births. It is composed of early neonatal mortality (0-7 days of birth), late neonatal mortality (8-27 days) and post-neonatal mortality (28-365 days). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of infant mortality in Butembo, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Methods: This was a retrospective study carried out from January 2015 to December 2016 in 3 Congolese hospitals (Cliniques Universitaires du Graben (CUG), Matanda Hospital and Kitatumba General Referral Hospital) on 8033 children. Results: The prevalence of infant mortality was 14.31‰. A child under one year hospitalized at CUG has 6.66 times the risk of death than those hospitalized at other hospitals. Age <7 days, male sex, weight <2499 grams, history of hospitalization during pregnancy, less than 4 sessions of antenatal care, APGAR score <7, dystocic delivery, irregularities in immunization schedule, pathologies such as HIV/AIDS, acute respiratory infection, prematurity, and neonatal infections were the risk factors contributing to infant mortality. Conclusion: Actions aiming to reduce the occurrence of risk factors should be done in order to get the possible lowest prevalence of infant mortality.

Religion and Infant Mortality in the United States: A Community‐Level Investigation of Denominational Variations in Postneonatal Deaths

AbstractAlthough a growing body of research has detected the effects of community‐level religiosity on various health outcomes, very little scholarship has examined the influence of religious ecology on infant mortality rates (IMRs). We conduct ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses on postneonatal IMRs (PNIMRs) using county‐level data from the National Center for Health Statistics Linked Birth and Infant Death Data (1990, 2000, and 2006–2010), churches and church membership data, and the Area Health Resource File. We find that while overall rates of postneonatal deaths have decreased over time, the effects of religion on this outcome have become more pronounced. Specifically, we find that counties with greater proportions of mainline Protestant and Catholic adherents exhibit significantly lower PNIMRs. We further find that a greater proportion of conservative Protestants, and especially fundamentalists, increases postneonatal infant mortality. Our findings lend additional support to cultural explanations of U.S. infant mortality.

Delayed Breastfeeding Initiation Is Associated with Infant Morbidity

To assess the relationship between breastfeeding initiation time and postneonatal mortality, morbidity, and growth through 24 months in a cohort of Tanzanian infants. We included 4203 infants from 2 trials of micronutrient supplementation. We used Cox proportional hazards models or general estimating equations to estimate relative risks. A total of 13% of infants initiated breastfeeding >1 hour after birth (n = 536). There was no association between breastfeeding initiation time and risk of all-cause or cause-specific mortality, nor infant growth failure, from 6 weeks to 2 years of age. However, delayed breastfeeding was associated with an increased risk of several common infectious morbidities in early infancy, including upper respiratory infection symptoms and vomiting. Compared with those who initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, delayed breastfeeding initiation was associated with an 11% increased risk of cough (relative risk 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.21) and a 48% increased risk of difficulty breathing (relative risk 1.48, 95% CI 1.09-2.01) during the first 6 months. Delayed initiation was associated with a greater risk of difficulty breathing from 6 to 12 months of age, but it was not associated with risk of any other morbidity during this time, nor any morbidity between 12 and 24 months. Delayed breastfeeding initiation is associated with an increased risk of infant morbidity during the first 6 months of life. Early breastfeeding initiation, along with exclusive and prolonged breastfeeding, should be prioritized and promoted in efforts to improve child health.

Pregnancy and Lifetime Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Infant Mortality in Massachusetts, 2001-2007.

Many studies have found associations between particulate matter having an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) and adult mortality. Comparatively few studies evaluated particles and infant mortality, although infants and children are particularly vulnerable to pollution. Moreover, existing studies mostly focused on short-term exposure to larger particles. We investigated PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy and lifetime and postneonatal infant mortality. The study included 465,682 births with 385 deaths in Massachusetts (2001-2007). Exposures were estimated from PM2.5-prediction models based on satellite imagery. We applied extended Cox proportional hazards modeling with time-dependent covariates to total, respiratory, and sudden infant death syndrome mortality. Exposure was calculated from birth to death (or end of eligibility for outcome, at age 1 year) and pregnancy (gestation and each trimester). Models adjusted for sex, birth weight, gestational length, season of birth, temperature, relative humidity, and maternal characteristics. Hazard ratios for total, respiratory, and sudden infant death syndrome mortality per-interquartile-range increase (1.3 μg/m3) in lifetime PM2.5 exposure were 2.66 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.11, 3.36), 3.14 (95% CI: 2.39, 4.13), and 2.50 (95% CI: 1.56, 4.00), respectively. We did not observe a statistically significant relationship between gestational exposure and mortality. Our findings provide supportive evidence that lifetime exposure to PM2.5 increases risk of infant mortality.

Postneonatal mortality impacts following grants from the Gavi Vaccine Alliance: an econometric analysis from 2000 to 2014

We completed a retrospective multivariate panel study to evaluate the effect of Gavi Vaccine Alliance grants on vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) postneonatal mortality. We separately tested a composite VPD mortality rate and five vaccine-preventable mortality rates: pertussis, meningitis, measles, diarrhea, and pneumonia (lower-respiratory infection) as dependent variables. All 77 countries eligible for Gavi assistance from 2000 to 2014 were included in the study. To isolate the effect of Gavi funding in our primary model, we controlled for known and likely predictors of child mortality. We found evidence that, among other factors, Gavi investment, antenatal care access, and girls' primary education are important elements to reduce vaccine-preventable mortality rates. For every $1 per capita invested by the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, there are statistically significant effects decreasing the VPD postneonatal mortality rate by 1.848 per 1000 live births. We also found Gavi investments to be significantly associated with reductions in three VPD-specific rates: pertussis, meningitis, and pneumonia. We conclude that Gavi investments in developing country immunization programs have measurably contributed to reductions in postneonatal VPD mortality rates.

Rural-urban differentials in the rates and factors associated with post-neonatal mortality in Nigeria: Evidence from the 2013 national household survey.

The burden of post-neonatal mortality remains considerably high in Nigeria. This study examines the rural-urban differences in post-neonatal mortality rates (PNMR) and associated factors in Nigeria. Dataset from the 2013 Nigeria demographic and health survey, disaggregated by rural-urban residence, was analyzed. PNMR was reported using frequency tabulation, whereas, factors associated were first evaluated using Chi-Square test and further examined using multivariable logistic regression analysis. A total of 30384 singleton livebirths (20449 in rural and 9935 in urban residences) in the five years preceding the survey was included in this study. PNMR in rural and urban residences were 34 (95%CI: 31 - 38) and 22 (95%CI: 18 - 26) deaths per 1000 live births (P<0.001), respectively. In rural residence, living in the South-West region reduced the odds of post-neonatal mortality by 63% (Adjusted OR [AOR]: 0.372, 95%CI: 0.187 - 0.732)). In urban residence, poor wealth index (AOR: 1.660, 95%CI: 1.024 - 2.689), living in the South-East region (AOR: 2.902, 95%CI: 1.470 - 5.726), and home delivery (AOR: 1.539, 95%CI: 1.016 - 2.330) increased the odds of post-neonatal mortality. Regardless of residence, the use of solid cooking-fuels (Rural: AOR: 2.394, 95%CI: 1.211 - 4.734; Urban: AOR: 1.912, 95%CI: 1.206 - 3.030), birth interval < 24 months (Rural: AOR: 1.880, 95%CI: 1.557 - 2.270; Urban: AOR: 1.630, 95%CI: 1.042 - 2.550) and lack of breastfeeding (Rural: AOR: 2.547, 95%CI: 2.089 - 3.105; Urban: AOR: 2.152, 95%CI: 1.496 - 3.096) increased the odds of post-neonatal mortality. PNMR and associated factors differ in rural and urban Nigeria. Post-neonates in urban areas had better survival chances. Intervention efforts would need to prioritize findings in this study. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Duration of Breastfeeding and Risk of SIDS: An Individual Participant Data Meta-analysis.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a leading cause of postneonatal infant mortality. Our previous meta-analyses showed that any breastfeeding is protective against SIDS with exclusive breastfeeding conferring a stronger effect.The duration of breastfeeding required to confer a protective effect is unknown. To assess the associations between breastfeeding duration and SIDS. Individual-level data from 8 case-control studies. Case-control SIDS studies with breastfeeding data. Breastfeeding variables, demographic factors, and other potential confounders were identified. Individual-study and pooled analyses were performed. A total of 2267 SIDS cases and 6837 control infants were included. In multivariable pooled analysis, breastfeeding for <2 months was not protective (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.68-1.22). Any breastfeeding ≥2 months was protective, with greater protection seen with increased duration (2-4 months: aOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.44-0.82; 4-6 months: aOR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.26-0.63; and >6 months: aOR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.22-0.61). Although exclusive breastfeeding for <2 months was not protective (aOR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.59-1.14), longer periods were protective (2-4 months: aOR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42-0.87; 4-6 months: aOR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.29-0.74). The variables collected in each study varied slightly, limiting our ability to include all studies in the analysis and control for all confounders. Breastfeeding duration of at least 2 months was associated with half the risk of SIDS. Breastfeeding does not need to be exclusive to confer this protection.

Health financing at district level in Malawi: an analysis of the distribution of funds at two points in time.

There is growing attention to tracking country level resource flows to health, but limited evidence on the sub-national allocation of funds. We examined district health financing in Malawi in 2006 and 2011, and equity in the allocation of funding, together with the association between financing and under five and neonatal mortality. We explored the process for receiving and allocating different funding sources at district level. We obtained domestic and external financing data from the Integrated Financial Management Information System (2006–11) and AidData (2000–12) databases. Out-of-pocket payment data came from two rounds of integrated household budget surveys (2005; 2010). Mortality data came from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (2006) and Demographic and Health Survey (2010). We described district level health funding by source, ran correlations between funding and outcomes and generated concentration curves and indices. 41 semi-structured interviews were conducted at the national level and in 10 districts with finance and health managers. Per capita spending from all sources varied substantially across districts and doubled between 2006 and 2011 from 7181 Kwacha to 15 312 Kwacha. In 2011, external funding accounted for 74% of funds, with domestic funding accounting for 19% of expenditure, and out of pocket (OOP) funding accounting for 7%. All funding sources were concentrated among wealthier districts, with OOP being the most pro-rich, followed by domestic expenditure and external funding. Districts with higher levels of domestic and external funding had lower levels of post-neonatal mortality, and those with higher levels of out-of-pocket payments had higher levels of 1–59 month mortality in 2006. There was no association between changes in financing and outcomes. Districts reported delayed receipt of lower-than-budgeted funds, forcing them to scale-down activities and rely on external funding. Governments need to track how resources are allocated sub-nationally to maximize equity and ensure allocations are commensurate to health need.

Risk of Mortality into Adulthood According to Gestational Age at Birth

To quantify the independent risks of neonatal (0-28 days), postneonatal (29-364 days), 1- to 5- and 6- to 30-year mortality by gestational age and investigate changes in survival over time in an Australian birth cohort. Maternal and birth related Western Australian population data (1980-2010) were linked to the state mortality data using a retrospective cohort study design involving 722 399 live-born singletons infants. When compared with 39- to 41-week born infants, the adjusted risk ratio for neonatal mortality was 124.8 (95% CI 102.9-151.3) for 24-31 weeks of gestation, 3.4 (95% CI 2.4-4.7) for 35-36 weeks of gestation, and 1.4 (95% CI 1.1-1.8) for 37-38 weeks of gestation. For 24-31 weeks of gestation infants, the adjusted hazard ratio for postneonatal mortality (29-364 days) was 13.9 (95% CI 10.9-17.6), for 1- to 5-year mortality 1.4 (95% CI 0.7-3.0) and for 6- to 30-year mortality 1.3 (95% CI 0.8-2.3). The risk of neonatal and postneonatal mortality for those born preterm decreased over time. In Western Australia, late preterm and early term infants experienced higher risk of neonatal and postneonatal mortality when compared with their full-term peers. There was insufficient evidence to show that gestational length was independently associated with mortality beyond 1 year of age. Neonatal and postneonatal mortality improved with each decade of the study period.

TENDENCIES OF INFANTILE AND CHILD MORTALITY IN THE CONDITIONS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MODERN STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH CARE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Development of maternity and childhood protection service is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The strategy for its development is included in the National plan of action for the benefit of children formulated according to the international documents on the rights of a child. The preservation of life and health of children under 5 years has been identified as an important strategic task for preserving life and health of the population as a whole. Tendencies of mortality in children under 5 years and infant mortality as a part of the data had been studied basing on the analysis of Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation and World Bank data bases. It is shown that the reduction in mortality of children under 5 years occurred in all age periods. The level of infant mortality decreased significantly to the same extent due to neonatal and post-neonatal mortality. The leading causes for mortality in children under 5 years in general and infant mortality in particular are certain conditions originating in the perinatal period and congenital malformations which slow further reduction of the mortality in children in this age group. Significant reasons for death in children aged 1−4 years are injuries, poisonings, and oncologic diseases. The reserves of infant and child mortality reduction are found in implementation of prenatal and preimplantation diagnostics and «Prenatal consultation» organizational model; broader screening for congenital and hereditary metabolic diseases in the neonatal period including the most common nosological forms of rare (orphan) diseases; expansion of the National Vaccination Calendar; improvement of quality of prehospital medical care to children under the age of 1 year; further development of specialized, rehabilitative, and medical-social support.